“I want to take this opportunity to thank Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo for the trust and support he has given me. His non-stop drive, enormous energy and vision are recreating a better and stronger MTA,” said Lhota, in a statement acquired by POLITICO that will be issued shortly. “The governor understands the over-arching importance of mass transit for the people and the economy of New York.”

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Lhota, whose departure was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, has served as MTA chairman since 2017, in a tumultuous tenure marred by accusations of conflicts of interest.

As POLITICO first reported, Lhota continues to serve as a boardmember at Madison Square Garden, even though the garden’s fate is closely interlinked with that of the MTA’s Long Island Rail Road hub at Penn Station.

Freddy Ferrer will step up as interim chairman in Lhota’s absence, while the governor’s office looks for a replacement.

At a recent gala for the New York Transit Museum, Lhota argued that it was past time for the MTA to have a woman as chair, a source said.

Veronique Hakim, the MTA's managing director, is the highest-ranking woman at the authority. She was formerly in the running for the position ultimately awarded to Lhota.

"The chairman's job is important," said Riders Alliance executive director John Raskin. "But the person who will really determine the future of public transit was just reelected on Tuesday. Gov. Cuomo needs to appoint a capable chair, but most importantly he has to pass a funding package that will make the MTA's Fast Forward modernization plan a reality."

Lhota’s full statement is below:

"I want to take this opportunity to thank Governor Cuomo for the trust and support he has given me. His non-stop drive, enormous energy and vision are recreating a better and stronger MTA. The Governor understands the over-arching importance of mass transit for the people and the economy of New York. His commitment and robust support to enhance and modernize the MTA into an integrated 21st century transportation system is unmatched and unwavering. In late spring 2017, following a well-documented period of rapid deterioration of transit services, I volunteered to become MTA chairman with the sole purpose of halting the decline of service and stabilizing the system for my fellow New Yorkers.

"The Subway Action Plan was developed in my first month at the MTA and it has successfully arrested the subway’s decline. The plan has produced a 34.8% decline in major subway incidents causing delays (a comparison of 9/2017 to 9/2018). In September 2018 the number of total train delays fell to the lowest point since February 2016. There is still a long way to go to achieve the performance that New Yorkers demand and deserve. The proposed Fast Forward plan provides the roadmap for modernizing the entire system.

"When I agreed to return to the MTA it was with the understanding that I would maintain my private sector positions and delegate day-to-day responsibility to a new team. Accordingly, I created the Office of the Chairman for the purpose of managing the MTA. This office includes the managing director, president, chief development officer and chief financial officer. In addition, during my tenure I have appointed new leadership at the operating agencies by selecting new presidents at NYC Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, a new general counsel and a new MTA chief safety officer. Together, they work every second of every day to further stabilize and enhance the MTA for the benefit of all New Yorkers.

"Finally, anyone who knows me will have a keen understanding of the appreciation and admiration that I have for the men and women of the MTA. Every day, they enable 9+ million New Yorkers to safely get to work, go to school, meet dates, have doctor’s appointments and get home via any one of the MTA’s assets. Next time you see a subway, bus, railroad or bridge/tunnel worker, please thank them for their service."